You become an expert by tinkering and experimenting.

I understand a lot about how bicycles work because I tinkered and built my own. It isn't exactly the same as hacking, but it is very similar. When you work on old bikes, motorbikes, cars you sometimes have to come up to novel solutions to problems.

The fact that you and the author can't see the similarities is exactly the issue I and others have pointed out.

You're arguing a straw man.